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In Alwar, poster war for Congress tickets ahead of Rajasthan assembly elections

All India Congress Committee secretary Jitendra Singh said the party cannot stop people from putting up posters to stake claim for the party ticket but candidature will be decided on merit.

Updated: Sep 12, 2018 15:00:41

By Devendra Bhardwaj

Though dates for Rajasthan assembly elections are yet to be announced, ticket aspirants have started putting up posters to draw the attention of their leaders.
(HT Photo )

Months before the assembly elections in Rajasthan, ticket seekers have started plastering constituencies with their posters to draw the attention of leaders who will decide their fate for the party ticket.

There are 11 assembly constituencies in Alwar district. In 2013, BJP won nine of them, while Congress and independent candidates won one each.

In Thanaghazi, posters of Alok Sharma, national spokesperson of the Congress, are dotting the constituency. Sharma is from Bhiwadi and has an engineering degree besides Master’s in business management, his posters mention.

“I have been working in Thanaghazi for two months. I have got good response during my visits. People are fed up with Meena and Gujjar candidates and are looking for a change,” Sharma said.

Among other ticket seekers from the constituency are Sunil Bohra, Kailash Sharma and Urmila Yogi, who lost the assembly elections.

Former additional chief secretary Ashok Sampat Ram’s wife, Simrat Kaur, is the new entrant in the politics of Kishangarh Bas. Her father-in-law, Sampat Ram, represented the constituency many times. “My father-in-law was instrumental in building infrastructure in Alwar post 1952,” Kaur said. “I accompanied him during the election campaigns and looked after the constituency under his guidance. The constituency was then called Khairthal. I have been in touch with people even after his death,” she added.

Among other contenders from Kishangarh Bas are former MLA Mahendra Shastri’s son Manish Chaudhary, Balram Yadav and Bharat Yadav. However, Kaur said she has the best chance for a Congress ticket from here due to her political background.

The poster war for the Congress ticket appears to be the strongest in Tijara, where former minister Taiyyab Hussain’s son Fazal Hussain has been active in the constituency for five years and could offer a challenge to former health minister AA Khan alias Durru Mian.

In Mundawar, after the death of Major OP Yadav, who was elected MLA from the constituency in 2013, his wife Kavita Yadav is seeking the Congress ticket. She is pitted against Rohitash Chaudhary, Rajendra Yadav and Neemrana Panchayat Samiti pradhan Savita Chaudhary for the ticket.

In Behror, Baljit Yadav, who recently joined the Congress, is leading the poster war. Youth Congress president Sanjay Yadav, Saroj Yadav and Suman Yadav are also the potential candidates.

In Alwar City, Shweta Saini, who lost the municipal council polls by a narrow margin, could be the party’s bet. However, political experts believe giving ticket to a Saini (Mali) could garner the community’s support for the party in all 11 constituencies.

Candidates put up posters for Eid and Raksha Bandhan wishes.

All India Congress Committee secretary Jitendra Singh said the party cannot stop people from putting up posters to stake claim for the party ticket. “Pradesh election committee will decide the criteria for candidates. Some agencies are doing surveys about the candidates and this will also be taken in consideration. But tickets will be given on merit only,” he said.